Alberta Aids to Daily Living Bulletin #80 - Specialist Link
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Alberta Aids to Daily Living
Bulletin #80
If access issues arise, we encourage
General Information on clients, clinicians, caretakers and vendors
Coronavirus and Alberta Aids to communicate directly and find solutions.
to Daily Living (AADL)
AADL is providing this information as a Clients are encouraged to contact their
guide to our stakeholders during the vendors to confirm store hours and make
COVID-19 pandemic response. arrangements for benefit delivery if
We are making every effort to maintain required.
AADL operations as the situation evolves. Currently, E-business is available, and
However, access to benefits may be claims will continue to be paid as usual. If
delayed by circumstances out of our this situation changes, we will provide
control. Your patience is appreciated. updates via notification on E-business and
AADL will process authorizations required follow up bulletins
for palliative care or imminent hospital To manage limited mail room capacity:
discharge on an urgent basis. All other Please submit all documents via
requests will be processed as soon as fax to 780-422-0968, including
possible with the resources available. 1250 authorization forms, work
We kindly ask you to consider how urgently orders and application forms.
benefits are needed, explore alternate 1251 Wheelchair Authorization
strategies, and postpone requests if they Forms must be submitted by mail
are not time-critical. due to dimensions of the form.
Please be aware that, during this pandemic, Please take special care that
client assessments may be delayed or writing on faxes is legible
cancelled as AADL Authorizers are urgently Please send each document only
required in other areas of healthcare. once. Do not mail in copies of
Delivery of benefits also may be disrupted documents that were faxed.
as vendors and caretakers enact policies to Please watch these bulletins for updates
protect staff and people in care. and contact AADL if you have any
questions. Our contact list is available at
https://www.alberta.ca/assets/documents/a
AADL is not responsible for partner
adl/aadl-contact-list.pdf
organizations’ resource allocation or
pandemic response policies.
www.health.alberta.ca/services/aids-to-daily-living.html
©2020 Government of Alberta | Published March 2020Respiratory benefits
Safe use of oxygen and equipment
An exceptional funding process is now in instruction will continue to be required for
place for respiratory benefits, to reduce new oxygen starts. If the RRT assessment
burden on the healthcare system and cannot be done (phone or in person) within
minimize delays in adjudication. policy requirements (48 hours for new
oxygen starts), enter the start date (when
For respiratory funding authorizations equipment was give to the client) for the
where required testing is unavailable or RRT assessment date.
delayed due to pandemic response
measures: In the event that an Arterial Blood Gas
‐ Enter “COVID 19” and a brief (ABG) is unable to be obtained, please
summary of the issue in the enter a PaO2 value of 10. We will accept
Authorization Comments section. oximetry that documents the need for
‐ If this comment is not entered, the
oxygen.
provider may be found non-compliant
and subject to cost recovery.
If a particular test is missing (other than
Providers will not be expected to have
ABG), enter an acceptable value as
Registered Respiratory Therapist (RRT)
outlined in policy and select that you have
assessments done within the current policy
the documentation to upload. In the
timelines.
comments section, enter “COVID 19“ and a
description of what is missing, as well as
RRT assessments conducted over the any information that has been used as a
phone will be accepted. substitute.
This process is subject to change Authorizations will be approved for
depending on ongoing consultation with exceptional funding for a period of time to
Alberta Health, AHS and Alberta Blue allow for testing at a later date, based on
Cross regarding COVID-19 precautions, the comments provided. Please note that
etc. Any changes will be communicated in these funding expiry dates may be different
follow-up bulletins. than anticipated.
www.health.alberta.ca/services/aids-to-daily-living.html
©2020 Government of Alberta | Published March 2020Mobility and large equipment
We are providing guidance only on the What you should know
cleaning and disinfection of AADL Commonly used cleaners and disinfectants are
equipment to help break the cycle of effective against COVID-19.
infection and reduce risk of Frequently touched surfaces are most likely
transmission. contaminated.
Current evidence suggests that novel
For more information about COVID-19, coronavirus may remain viable for hours to days
please consult your employer, your on surfaces made from a variety of materials.1
professional organization and resources Use only disinfectants that have a Drug
from public health authorities including Identification Number (DIN). A DIN is an 8-digit
the Public Health Agency of Canada. number given by Health Canada that confirms it
is approved for use in Canada.
Check the expiry date of products you use and
Disinfecting recyclable AADL equipment always follow manufacturer’s instructions.
1
Use best practice hand washing hygiene https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-
ncov/prepare/cleaning-disinfection.html
before and after contact with any client
and the equipment requested.
Prepare equipment for use.
Where possible, use pre-mixed
disinfecting solution and or follow
manufacturer instructions for cleaning.
Spray equipment and wipe off as
needed while wearing gloves.
Read and follow manufacturer’s
instructions to allow adequate contact
time for disinfectant to kill the germs
(see product label).
Wear gloves when handling cleaning
products, including wipes.
Wear any other personal protective
equipment recommended by the
manufacturer.
After cleaning equipment, use hand
washing hygiene.
www.health.alberta.ca/services/aids-to-daily-living.html
©2020 Government of Alberta | Published March 2020Medical-Surgical benefits Authorizers
(please note the following is at the
Vendors
discretion of the clinic or Authorizer)
Vendors may dispense products for active
Community Aids for Independent Living
authorizations for May/June 2020 and
(CAIL - Edmonton) may contact AADL and
invoice AADL at regular timelines.
request extensions for those who have
Vendors must not charge AADL for shippi
booked appointments to reassess for
or add an upcharge on products to cover
incontinence products, catheters and
shipping costs. Shipping costs are the
ostomy products only.
responsibility of the vendor and/or client.
Calgary Community Aids for
Clients who have authorizations that are not
Independent Living (CCAIL) may contact
active must contact AADL directly regarding
AADL and request extensions for those
extension and short term reinstatement of
who have booked appointments for
authorizations.
reassessments for incontinence products
and catheters only.
Vendors must not advise clients that
AADL will automatically extend or
Clients requiring reassessments for
reinstate authorizations. It is the sole
ostomy products in Calgary and area,
discretion of AADL to do so after
must continue to contact the hospital in
reviewing the client’s past usage.
which they had surgery. Hospital Nurses
Specialized in Wound, Ostomy and
Continence Canada (NSWOCC) may
contact AADL and request extensions
for ostomy products if neeed.
Provincially, Supportive Living and
homecare staff may contact AADL and
request extensions for their clients. Clients
who are more independent can call AADL
directly and request an extension or a
reinstatement of their AADL authorization.
Authorizers must not communicate to
clients that AADL will automatically
extend or reinstate authorizations. It is
the sole discretion of AADL to do so
after reviewing the client’s past usage.
www.health.alberta.ca/services/aids-to-daily-living.html
©2020 Government of Alberta | Published March 2020Communication benefits
Voice Restoration and Electrolarynx
Speech Generating Communication
Benefits (VRE)
Devices (SGCD)
Laryngectomy patients are considered high
Applications for new SGCDs will be dealt
risk given their medical status with open
with as capacity allows.
airways to the larynx. This may result in a
potential need for additional VRE supplies
SGCD recycle equipment: Service Centres
over AADL stated quantities (i.e., voice
will follow manufacturers’ recommendations
prosthesis, laryngectomy tubes, heat-
regarding cleaning outside surfaces of
moisture filters). Such requests from
SGCD equipment.
authorizers will be dealt with by AADL on a
case-by-case basis for over quantity limits. Authorizers for SGCD Communication
Benefits:
School districts are currently closed
for students. It is unknown what role
school-based SGCD Service Centre
authorizers (SLPs & OTs) will have
during school closures.
Alberta Health Service (AHS)-based
authorizers for SGCD will advise on
their capacity to meet with patients in
the coming days as AHS priorities
change.
www.health.alberta.ca/services/aids-to-daily-living.html
©2020 Government of Alberta | Published March 2020Seating, prosthetic and
orthotic (including ocular
prosthetic and footwear)
benefits
Seating Authorizers and Vendors, and
Prosthetic, Orthotic and Footwear Specialty
Assessors/Suppliers, should follow their
facility’s Infection Prevention and Control
(IPC) direction and best practices with
respect to COVID-19, including but not
limited to incorporating risk mitigation
strategies and practices endorsed by:
Government of Alberta
‐ https://www.alberta.ca/coronavirus-info-
for-albertans.aspx
Alberta Health Services - IPC Resources
‐ Emerging Issues (COVID-19):
https://www.albertahealthservices.ca/inf
o/Page10531.aspx#ncov.
‐ General:
https://www.albertahealthservices.ca/inf
o/Page6410.aspx.
Where implications of COVID-19 may
impact the aforementioned benefit-specific
Authorizers’, Vendors’, and Specialty
Assessors’/Suppliers’ ability to
operationalize associated AADL Program
policies and procedures, they should notify
Stanley Kolodziej, AADL Program
Manager, Assistive Devices and
Equipment, at:
Stanley.kolodziej@gov.ab.ca.
www.health.alberta.ca/services/aids-to-daily-living.html
©2020 Government of Alberta | Published March 2020You can also read
